Beef and Cheese Enchiladas

This recipe is quick and easy and really tasty. You can have delicious enchiladas for your homemade Mexican meal in less than half an hour. And they’re kid-friendly too.

1.5 pounds ground beef

1/4 cup water

Chili powder and/or taco seasoning

2-3 cups shredded cheese

8-10 corn tortillas

1 small can of enchilada sauce 

Brown the ground beef, stirring it and breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Drain the meat and add about 1/4 cup water to the pan with the meat. Add about 4 or 5 tablespoons of seasoning and mix thoroughly to coat the meat. I usually add about half chili powder and half taco seasoning (it usually comes in little packets), but you can vary it according to your preference.

Lay a tortilla on a plate and put a little shredded cheese in a line down the middle. I usually use a “fiesta blend” or “Mexican blend” shredded cheese, but you can use different blends of shredded cheese or shred your own. I don’t recommend just sharp cheddar as it tends to be too strong, but colby or colby-jack works fine as does mild cheddar or a mix of sharp cheddar and milder cheeses.

Place a spoonful or two of meat on top of the cheese.

Roll up the sides of the tortilla.

Pick up the rolled tortilla and place in a baking pan, turning it as you do to put the overlapping edges downward. This is the tricky part. Don’t let the meat and cheese fall out or you’ll make a mess. It’s advisable to have the pan right next to the plate where you’re putting the enchiladas together so that it’s a short trip between them. Repeat until you have filled the baking pan.

I most often use an 8x8 inch square baking pan, but it also works to use an 11x7 pan (you just have less sauce per enchilada). You can also double the recipe and use a 9x13 pan. In this case, I fit 7-1/2 rolled tortillas in an 8x8 pan.

Once the pan is full of rolled tortillas, pour the enchilada sauce over them and spread it to cover the tops of all the tortillas. I like the Kroger brand red enchilada sauce.

Cover the top with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350^○F for 15 minutes or until heated through. Enjoy!

These enchiladas can be served with Mexican rice and beans or with other Mexican items like burritos, tacos or tostadas. In the meal below, I served them with tostadas. I just layer a crunchy corn tostada shell with refried beans, seasoned ground beef (the same as I used for the enchiladas), shredded cheese, sour cream, and shredded lettuce. They’re a little messy, but really good.

Linked up with NOBH, Warrior Wives, and WLWW.